Downfall

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX paired with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile delivers a dominant performance profile in Downfall, ranking in the top 22% of all tested combinations (rank 826 out of 3716). The benchmark data shows this combo is overwhelmingly GPU-bound at higher resolutions, while the CPU’s strong single-thread score ensures no bottleneck even at 1080p. Across all measured settings, the system produces playable frame rates at every resolution, with the standout experience being 2560x1440 on High settings, which hits 150 FPS average. The data clearly indicates that users should prioritize the GPU’s 16 GB VRAM and the CPU’s 14 cores when interpreting these results, as the combo’s rank and FPS figures reflect a balanced but GPU-dominant pairing.

FAQ

*Q: What is the combo’s overall rank in Downfall?*

A: This pairing ranks 826 out of 3716 tested combinations, placing it in the top 22.2% of all systems measured for this game. That percentile position indicates a high-performing setup, though not the absolute fastest among the database’s entries.

Q: Which resolution and settings yield the highest average FPS?

A: The highest average FPS recorded is 314 at 1920x1080 with Low settings. For a more balanced experience, 2560x1440 on High delivers 150 FPS, while 3840x2160 on High produces 94 FPS.

Q: How does the CPU compare to its nearest rivals in general benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX has an average benchmark score of 52073. Its nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 8124P, scores 52121 (a delta of -0.1%), while the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X scores 51947 (+0.2%). The Intel Core i7-14700 is 0.4% higher at 52301, and the Intel Core i9-13900F is 0.7% lower at 51730. These deltas are all within 1%, indicating near-identical general compute performance.

Q: What is the GPU’s percentile ranking among all tested GPUs?

A: The RTX 4090 Mobile sits in the 84th percentile of all GPUs in the database. Its average benchmark score is 43667, with the nearest rival being the NVIDIA RTX A6000 at 44075 (-0.9% delta), while the Quadro M6000 trails by 0.8% at 43301.

*Q: Is the RTX 4090 Mobile’s 16 GB VRAM sufficient for Downfall at 4K?*

A: Yes, the data supports this. At 3840x2160, the combo achieves 94 FPS on High and 114 FPS on Medium, with the 16 GB GDDR6 memory and 576.0 GB/s bandwidth proving adequate for this horror title. Even at Ultra, the system maintains 59 FPS, showing no VRAM-related collapse.

Q: Does the CPU’s 14-core configuration matter for this game?

A: The Core Ultra 5 235HX has 14 cores and 14 threads, with a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. In Downfall, the CPU’s single-core performance (Cinebench R23 single-core score of 4903) appears sufficient to feed the GPU, as evidenced by the scaling from 140 FPS at 4K Low to 314 FPS at 1080p Low. The core count likely helps maintain minimum frame rates, though the game’s engine appears more GPU-sensitive based on the measured data.

CPU Role

The Intel Core Ultra 5 235HX is built on the Arrow Lake architecture, manufactured on a 3 nm process by TSMC, with 17,800 million transistors on a 243 mm² die. This mobile processor features 14 cores and 14 threads, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 5.10 GHz. Its 24 MB of shared L3 cache and 102.4 GB/s memory bandwidth (dual-channel DDR5) provide the data throughput necessary for a modern game like Downfall. The CPU’s TDP is rated at 55 W, which is modest for a high-performance mobile part, but the benchmark scores show it punches above its power envelope.

In terms of raw compute, the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 34731 and single-core score of 4903 place this chip in the 91st percentile of all CPUs. The Passmark single-thread score of 4683 reinforces its strong per-core performance, which is critical for game logic and physics in Downfall. The nearest rivals in general benchmarks—AMD EPYC 8124P, Ryzen 9 5950X, Core i7-14700, and Core i9-13900F—all score within 0.7% of the Ultra 5 235HX, meaning this CPU holds its own against desktop-class parts despite being a mobile chip.

For Downfall, the CPU’s role is best understood by examining frame rate scaling across resolutions. At 1920x1080 with Low settings, the combo hits 314 FPS, which is 2.24 times higher than the 140 FPS at 3840x2160 on Low. This scaling suggests the CPU can push well over 300 FPS in this game when the GPU is not the limiting factor. The 14 cores also help with background tasks and streaming, but the game itself likely utilizes fewer threads; the high single-core score (Cinebench R15 single-core: 494) ensures that the primary game thread is never starved. The data shows no evidence of CPU bottlenecking, as the FPS increases consistently when resolution drops, indicating the GPU is the primary constraint at higher settings.

The CPU’s memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s is adequate for feeding the RTX 4090 Mobile’s 576.0 GB/s, but the game’s engine does not appear to require excessive CPU-memory traffic. The Passmark data compression score of 426417 and integer math score of 97177 suggest strong general-purpose performance, which helps with asset decompression and game logic. Overall, the Ultra 5 235HX provides a solid foundation for this combo, with enough headroom to avoid limiting the GPU in most scenarios.

GPU Role

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Mobile is the star of this pairing, featuring 9,728 shading units, 304 TMUs, and 112 ROPs, built on the Ada Lovelace architecture with a 5 nm process from TSMC. Its 16 GB of GDDR6 memory operates on a 256-bit bus, delivering 576.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The GPU’s base clock is 1335 MHz with a boost clock of 1695 MHz, and it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. With 76 RT cores and 304 tensor cores, this mobile GPU is a flagship part, though its 120 W TDP is notably lower than desktop variants—a factor that explains its 84th percentile ranking rather than a top-10 position.

In Downfall, the GPU’s 16 GB VRAM is a critical asset. At 3840x2160, the highest resolution tested, the combo achieves 94 FPS on High settings and 114 FPS on Medium. The step from Medium to High at 4K costs 20 FPS, while the jump from High to Ultra drops the average from 94 to 59 FPS—a 37% reduction. This steep falloff at Ultra suggests the game’s highest preset imposes significant shading and texture demands, but the 16 GB buffer prevents any memory-related stutter, as evidenced by the minimum FPS of 97 at 4K Medium.

The GPU’s compute performance is substantial: Passmark G3D score of 27212 and FP32 throughput of 32.98 TFLOPS. The nearest rivals in the database—Quadro M6000, RTX 5050 Mobile, and RTX A6000—are all within 0.9% of the RTX 4090 Mobile’s average benchmark score of 43667, but those are synthetic tests. In real-world gaming, the measured FPS tells a clearer story. At 2560x1440, the GPU delivers 150 FPS on High and 184 FPS on Medium, while at 1920x1080, it reaches 257 FPS on Medium and 211 FPS on High. These numbers indicate that the RTX 4090 Mobile is capable of 4K gaming at high refresh rates, but users targeting 144 Hz monitors will find the sweet spot at 1440p.

The GPU’s memory clock of 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective) and 304 tensor cores contribute to its strong performance, but for Downfall, a horror game from 2016, the engine is not particularly demanding by modern standards. The measured data shows that even at 4K Ultra, the combo maintains 59 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for fast-paced sequences. The GPU’s role is clearly dominant: lowering resolution from 4K to 1080p at Low settings more than doubles the FPS (140 to 314), confirming that the RTX 4090 Mobile is the primary driver of performance in this title.

Settings Recommendations

The measured FPS data provides clear guidance for optimal settings. At 1920x1080, all presets are highly playable, but the best balance of visual quality and performance is High settings at 211 FPS. Medium at 1080p delivers 257 FPS, but the visual uplift from Medium to High is typically more noticeable in a horror game’s lighting and shadows, making High the recommended preset for 1080p. Low at 314 FPS is excessive for most displays and sacrifices too much visual fidelity.

At 2560x1440, the data strongly supports High settings as the best experience. The combo achieves 150 FPS on High, which is smooth for most high-refresh monitors (144 Hz). Medium at 1440p delivers 184 FPS, but the 34 FPS gain over High is less valuable than the visual improvements, especially given that the minimum FPS at Medium is 156—still well above 144. Ultra at 1440p drops to 94 FPS, which is playable but not ideal for maintaining a locked 144 Hz experience. For 1440p users, High is the clear winner.

At 3840x2160, the recommendation shifts. High settings produce 94 FPS, which is excellent for 4K gaming on a 60 Hz display and even suitable for 120 Hz panels. Medium at 4K delivers 114 FPS with a minimum of 97, making it the best choice for users with 120 Hz 4K monitors who prioritize smoothness over maximum detail. Ultra at 4K drops to 59 FPS, which is just at the threshold of 60 Hz but leaves no headroom for dips; the absence of a minimum FPS value for Ultra suggests the data may not capture worst-case scenarios. Low at 4K (140 FPS) is unnecessary given the visual compromise.

Overall, the best experience per the measured rows is 2560x1440 on High, delivering 150 FPS with no reported minimum FPS below 144. For 4K users, High at 94 FPS is the recommended preset, as it balances the game’s horror atmosphere (which benefits from higher-quality shadows and textures) with smooth performance. The data shows that Ultra settings are not worth the FPS penalty on this combo, as the drop from High to Ultra costs 35 FPS at 1440p and 35 FPS at 4K, while the visual gains in a 2016 title are likely minimal.

How This Combo Ranks

The combo rank of 826 out of 3716 tested combinations places this system in the 77.8th percentile of all tested pairings for Downfall. This is a strong showing, but the rank also reflects the mobile nature of both components. The RTX 4090 Mobile, despite being the top mobile GPU, sits in the 84th percentile of all GPUs, meaning 16% of desktop GPUs outperform it. Similarly, the Core Ultra 5 235HX is in the 91st percentile of CPUs, but it is not the fastest processor in the database.

The rank becomes more meaningful when considering the synthetic benchmark deltas. The CPU’s nearest rival, the AMD EPYC 8124P, scores 52121—just 0.1% higher—and the GPU’s nearest rival, the RTX A6000, scores 44075—0.9% higher. These small deltas suggest that the combo’s rank is not limited by component quality but by the sheer number of desktop-class parts in the database. In Downfall, the game’s release date of 2016 means it does not heavily utilize modern multi-core CPUs or ray tracing, so the RTX 4090 Mobile’s 76 RT cores are largely underutilized. The game’s performance is likely driven by raw rasterization, where the 4090 Mobile’s 32.98 TFLOPS and 112 ROPs shine.

Compared to other combos in the database, this pairing outperforms 2890 tested combinations (3716 - 826). The rank of 826 indicates that there are 825 combinations that achieve higher performance in Downfall, likely dominated by desktop RTX 4090s paired with flagship CPUs like the Ryzen 9 7950X or Core i9-14900K. However, for a mobile setup, this rank is exceptional. The data shows that the combo is not bottlenecked by the CPU, as evidenced by the FPS scaling from 4K to 1080p. The 14-core Ultra 5 235HX provides sufficient headroom, and the main limitation is the GPU’s 120 W TDP, which caps its boost clock at 1695 MHz. Desktop RTX 4090s run at higher clocks, explaining the rank differential.

The percentile data reinforces this analysis: the CPU’s 91st percentile and GPU’s 84th percentile combine to produce a rank that is lower than either percentile, because the game’s engine favors GPU performance. In Downfall, the GPU is responsible for the majority of frame time, so the combo’s rank is closer to the GPU’s percentile than the CPU’s. This suggests that if a user were to pair this CPU with a faster GPU, the rank would improve significantly, while upgrading the CPU would yield diminishing returns.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data covers three resolutions (1920x1080, 2560x1440, 3840x2160) and four settings (Low, Medium, High, Ultra), providing a comprehensive view of performance. The data is measured, not estimated, which adds confidence to the analysis.

1920x1080:

• Low: 314 FPS average, no minimum or maximum recorded. This is the highest FPS in the entire dataset, indicating that the CPU is capable of driving the GPU to its limits at this resolution.
• Medium: 257 FPS average, with a minimum of 218 FPS and a maximum of 295 FPS. The 39 FPS gap between minimum and average suggests some frame-time variance, but the lowest dip is still well above 144 Hz.
• High: 211 FPS average, no minimum or maximum recorded. This is a 46 FPS drop from Medium, reflecting the increased shading and texture loads.
• Ultra: 132 FPS average, no minimum or maximum recorded. This is the first preset to drop below 144 FPS, but it remains highly playable on a 120 Hz display.

2560x1440:

• Low: 224 FPS average, no minimum or maximum recorded. This is a 29% reduction from 1080p Low, showing the GPU’s pixel throughput limits.
• Medium: 184 FPS average, with a minimum of 156 FPS and a maximum of 211 FPS. The minimum of 156 FPS is noteworthy—it is the lowest recorded minimum at this resolution, but it still exceeds 144 Hz.
• High: 150 FPS average, no minimum or maximum recorded. This is the recommended preset at 1440p, as it balances the 34 FPS drop from Medium with better visual quality.
• Ultra: 94 FPS average, no minimum or maximum recorded. This is a 37% reduction from High, making it the least efficient preset at this resolution.

3840x2160:

• Low: 140 FPS average, no minimum or maximum recorded. This is 45% lower than 1080p Low, demonstrating the GPU’s fill-rate limitations at 4K.
• Medium: 114 FPS average, with a minimum of 97 FPS and a maximum of 131 FPS. The minimum of 97 FPS is the only recorded minimum at 4K, and it indicates that the game remains fluid even during heavy scenes.
• High: 94 FPS average, no minimum or maximum recorded. This is the best 4K preset for visual fidelity, as it drops only 20 FPS from Medium.
• Ultra: 59 FPS average, no minimum or maximum recorded. This is the only preset to fall below 60 FPS, making it borderline for a 60 Hz display.

Across all resolutions, the scaling from Low to Ultra is consistent: at 1080p, Ultra is 42% of Low’s FPS (132/314); at 1440p, it is 42% (94/224); at 4K, it is 42% (59/140). This uniform scaling suggests that the game’s settings affect GPU workload proportionally, and the combo’s performance is predictable. The 16 GB VRAM is never a limiting factor, as even the largest resolution and highest settings (4K Ultra) do not show memory-related stutters. The data’s strongest takeaway is the stability at 1440p High, where the 150 FPS average and no recorded minimum dips make it the definitive best experience for this combo.